Flare



Jan. 22, 1935. M. w. FlscHER` FLARE Filed AugpS, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ewen-fr:

@www3 Jan. 22, 1935. M. w. FISCHER 1,988,445

FLARE Filed Aug. 9,V 1932 2 sheets-sheet 2 5 medicines,

Potent/ed lon. 22, 193s.

UNITED sllix'isisA PATENT oFFlcE.

(Granted multiI the not of Muon mended April so, 192s; 31o o.

This invention relates broadly .to a iiare.' and more particularlyto a ilare adapted to be released in conjunction 'with a parachute from an aircraft in the landing of mail pouches, food stuil's, andthe like, particularly in devastated areas. p ,y Y

The invention has for an object the provision of a time controlling mechanism carried-by the ilare in such a manner that when it is released from an 10 aircraft at varying altitudes, the parachute will be brought into operation at a' deilnite positionwith respect to the object at which it is'directed.

Another Aobject of the invention is the pro-l vision of a rotatable tiring mechanism soarranged termined point along its length to releaseV a parachute at the termination of the burningof the fuse.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of .parts as will be de-y scribed more fully hereinafter.

Reference is to be hadvto the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters indicate corand in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinalsectional view of Alily invention; Fig. 2 is an-end view of the time controlling lmechanism;

Fig. 3 is' a view showing the position and arrangement of the powder time fuse employed in my invention; j,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view online 4-4'of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5;;5 of Fig. 3; v Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe ring mechanism holder;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 4. Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 10 indicates a cylindrical casing housing a. parachute container 11, parachute 12, illuminant 13 andtime fuseblock 14. vThe-para.- `chute container is closed at its ends by disk 15, preferably of cardboard, fitting closelyfwithin the casing 10, and the latter is closed atthe parachute end by a. similar disk 16 secured in position by a cloth strip 17 glued or otherwise made fast to the'casing. A metallic cap 18 protects the cloth strip against damage when the flare is in storage or being handled in transportation preparatory tobeing installed on a plane for launching purposes. The opposite end of the casing is closed `by the time fuse block 14 Isecured within the casingj by suitable fastening lelements 19.

that it will ignite a powder time fusent a .prede- 3. 1888, as G. 757) 'I'he time fuse block is provided with a central chamber into-which is iltted a rotatable cup 20- having a cover 21 (Fig. 4) andwhich is adapted -to receive a firing mechanism holder 22. 'Ille holder is secured in the cup by a stud 23 and lock 5 nut 24 passing through a central bore in the time fuse block. Between the time fuse block and clip. I have placed a felt washer 25. To maintain the desired tension against the washer as well as to hold the stud 2s in position, :provide nn adjusting 1,0

nut 26 under which there isspring washer 27 bearing against a metal disk 28 on the exterior vsurface of the block 14. v The wall ofthe chamberr is provided with circumferential recesses 29. -A.

powder time fusesois ooiled within one of the' 15 recesses, but it does not extend completely around the recess, there being a space between its ends, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. It is desirable that'the space thus provided be filled with a plastic composition 32. Pins 31 positioned at suit- 2 able intervals in the recess prevent the powder v time fuse and plastic 1111er from sliding around the recess out of lsition for proper functioning ofthe flare. The purpose ot thespace between the ends of the powder time fuse will beexplained later. A ring 33 that is calibrated in any desired manner occupies the other of the recesses, and lies directly over the powder time fuse. A portion of this ring is marked Safe (see Fig. 2),

this portion corresponding in length and position o with the space between the ends of the powder time fuse. A quick match 34 extends through suitable passageways in the time fuse block and 4is -in contact with one end of the powder time fuse that is turned downward through the block, as may be more clearly seen in Fig. 5.

The ring mechanism holder 22 that is seated in the rotatable cup 20 is square in cross section and is provided with a central bore 35 extending partially through the longitudinal exis of the 9 holder for housing the elements for igniting the powder time fuse, as illustrated in Fig. 7. One of these elements isla cylindrical primer 38 containing a compressed powder pellet 37, and being provided with a spherical tiring end portion 38. 5

The pellet is tubular in shape, its bore communicating with a passageway 39 extending to the exterior of the holder 22 and in the outer end of which there is a primer cap 40. The other of the elements is e cylindrical fuse ignltlng member 4l 5 in the body of which and supported by a washer 42 there is a compressed powder pellet 43. A primer cap 44 is placed between the pellet 43 and the ring end 38 of the member 38. 'I'he member 41 terminates in a sharp conical end portion l 45 having a central bore 46 communicating with lateral openings 4'1 near the apex of the cone..

The primer 36 and fuse igniter 41 are held in engagement and at the inner end of the bore by a spring 48 interposed between the primer and a crimped paper retaining disk 49 secured in the holder 2 2 4in any practical manner.

. In Fig. 6 is shown the mechanism vfor igniting' the prliner `cap 40. -This mechanism includes a bell crank lever 50 pivoted at 51 to the holder 22, and having one end hammer shaped to strike against and ignite the primer cap 40. A spring 52 having one end fastened to this end of thel lever and the other end`to any suitable part of the holder 22 normally holds. the hammer end against the cap. To the other end of the lever a light, severable cord 53, that passes through an opening 54 in the firing mechanism holder 22 and emerges through an opening 55 at. right angles thereto, is attached. A ring 56 is secured to the free end ofthe cord, and to the ring is fastened a rip tape 57 that passes over .the end and down the side of the casing.10. and

tions of. like composition by an inflammable disk- 65, the major section being for the purpose of which is held in place by cloth or paper adhesive tape 58. The rip tape is secured to any suitable part of the carrying aircraft by a ring 59. The end of the are in which is mounted the time controlling mechanism is covered and protected by a metallic cap 60 during the time the flare is not in operable position.

The illuminant rais divided into two seccasting. a light over a large terrain .when the parachute is released, and the other section 61 being lesscompressed so that sufficient pressure may be built up after its ignition by; the quick match 34 to sever the cloth retaining strip 1'7 to free the parachute at the desired time.

The flare shown in the drawings is designedfor suspension from a bomb. rack of an aircraft, but I do not limit myself to this'particular type as one that .can be released through a tube or cast from the cockpit of the aircraft will function as successfully as the one illustrated. In theuse of this latter typeof flare the only alterations required to be made to the flare structure are the removal of the suspension band 62 "by tached to the bomb rack, and lengtheningof the riptape 57 to reach into the cockpit of the aircraft.

AAs above stated, the powder time fuse 30 does not extend the ,entire distance of the recess in which it is seated, but a space filled with a plastic material is left between its ends. Also, onthe graduated ring 33 there is an arc marked Safe which is positioned directly over the aforesaid .s'pace. The space between the ends of the fuse is left to provide a safety zone in whose range there would be no ignition of the flare illuminant shouldthe fuse igniting mechanism be set into operation inadvertently or prematurely. AShould either of .these two contingencies occur, the fuse igniting member 41 would strike against the plastic filler instead of penetrating the fuse 30 thereby'con'veying no iire to the fuse to ignite it. A .pointer 63 sweeps over the graduated ring 33 and by this means the operator is able to ascertain the positionofthe igniting mechanism with respect to the fuse, the pointer being carried by the rotatable cup over 21.

In preparing the flare for launching, the metallic protective cap 60 is removed from the casing, the pointer 63 is moved to the desired gradnation on the ring 33. and the ring 59 secured to its holding member, whether it'be on a bomb rack or other place about the aircraft.

When the flare 'is launched, the rip tape will be torn free of its fastening tape and will exert a pull'against the tension of spring 52 on the bell crank lever 50 through the medium of the ring 56 and cord 53 until the lever arm to which the cord is attached abuts against the nrmgmechanism holder 22. When this occurs, the continued pull on the cord breaks it, allowing the spring 52 to return the lever to its normal position with suilicient velocity to fire the primer cap 4Q. This ignites thepowder pellet in the primer 36 which in turn ignites the powder `pellet n the fuse igniting member 41, driving the conical end portion fuse 30. Flames issuing from the lateral open'- ings 47 ignite the fuse 30. The distance from the end of the fuse contacting with the'qulck' match 34 that the conical end portion enters the fuse determines the time that will elapse before the illuminant 'is ignited. Ihis distance is controlled by setting the pointer 63 at the desired graduation on the ring 33 which rotates the cup 20 carrying the firing mechanism holder. The portion 61 of the illuminant is ignited through the powder pellets 64 with which the quick match is in contact, as well as being in contact with the fuse 30. When suiilcient pressure has developed as a result of the ignition of portion 61 of the illuminant, the cloth strip 11 will part, allowing the casing 10 to free itself from the parachute container. When the casing has thus been freed, the illuminant 13, that has been ignited by the burning of the portion 6l, is

vsupported in air bythe parachute.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawingscomprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention, and that various changes in minor details of constructiomproportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the scope `of the appended claims without sacrifieing any of the advantages of this invention.

" The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

What I claim is:

1. An aircraft are including a casing, an illuminant, a parachute, a vfuse block, a fuse therein, an inflammable connectionbetween the member provided with passageways therethrough, a powderfpellet carried by said member, a primer cap carried by said member, a primer member engaging with said cap, a powder pellet carried by the primer member, a percussion cap, and means for exploding the percussion cap.

2. An aircraft flare including a casing, an. illuminant therein divided into a section producing a pressure to eject the'illuminant from the casing and an illuminating section, an iniiammable di'sk separating said sections said sec#- tions being of the same composition, the latter section being ignited by the former section and disk, means for igniting the pressure producing section, `and a parachute air after ignition of the illuminant.

of said member into the powder time.

to suspend the nare in 3. An aircraft are including a casing, a paral illuminant, a rotary cup in the block, a fuse igniting member carried by and movable radially with respect to the cup, andmeans for setting said igniting member into operation. v

4. An aircraft iiare including a.` casing, an iiiuminant therein divided into sections ct like composition, one of which is compressed to provide an illumination, means tor igniting said compressed section, and a parachute carried by thecasingtosuspendtheiiareinairatterignition oi the iiiuminant.

5. An aircraft flare including a casing. a parachute therein, an iiluminant within the casing dividedl into sections of like composition, one oi which is compressed whereby illumination is provided when ignited and the other of which is more loosely compressed whereby a pressure is 1,oss,44c

produced when ignited to eject the parachute and lliuminant from the casing, the former section being ignited by the latter, and means for igniting the compressed section.

6. An aircraft flare deiined in claim 5 and, said means comprising a fuse block provided with a plurality of circumferential recesses, a

i'use extending partially around one of the re' means into operation. t

MAX W. FISCHER. 

